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Exotic Off-Site Vacation
Cuban Spirit: Religion & Restoration
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Sponsored by the Center for Caribbean Religion & Culture, Vantage Tours, and Dillman's Creative Arts Foundation
Group sizes are small — 18 to 24 travelers
Reserve your space on this one-of-a-kind tour right away. Please be aware that since this trip has proved to be extremely popular, space will sell quickly. Don’t miss out on this extraordinary journey!
An Exclusive 12-Day Spiritual & Secular Travel Program Cuba was once a glamorous tropical getaway favored by movie stars, artists, and business titans who frequented palm shaded squares and danced upon moonlit terraces overlooking the sea. At the height of the Cold War, it came to symbolize the rise of Communism, a Soviet ally right on our doorstep. Yet through it all Cuba has remained a deeply spiritual land, rooted in Catholicism from Spain, augmented by the beliefs of African slaves, Protestants, Jews, and others.
Now, you can be among the very few to return to the mystical island that for decades has been off limits to most American travelers. Vantage’s new unique and spiritual journey, “Cuban Spirit: Religion and Restoration,” is an exclusive travel program that reveals Cuba’s religious life. Witness for yourself the resilient spirit and strong faith of the Cuban people, and discover how they effect the daily life of this island nation.
This very special travel opportunity has been arranged through Vantage Deluxe World Travel and the Center of Caribbean Religion and Culture (CCRC), a cultural, educational, and non-denominational religious organization that is authorized by the U.S. government to offer religious travel to Cuba. Vantage has received special permitting for a limited number of its customers to join this special Memorable Journey to Cuba. You’ll travel as a member of the CCRC, with membership arranged through Vantage.
Your Price Also Includes:
- Accommodations: 1 night in Miami at the First-Class Hilton Miami Airport, 4 nights in Cienfuegos at the Hotel Union, and 6 nights in Havana at the First-Class Hotel Nacional de Cuba
- 25 meals: 11 breakfasts, 9 lunches, and 5 dinners, including Welcome and Farewell Dinners
- Visit 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- A Program Manager, experienced and English speaking, to accompany you throughout your journey
- All transportation on tour via private air conditioned motorcoach
- All transfers and baggage handling while overseas (where permitted)
- Vantage 5% Travel Credit upon your return to use toward your next Vantage Memorable Journey®
43 Religious Features, Included Sightseeing Tours, and Cultural Connections
Religious Features
• Visit to the Archbishop Chapel in Cienfuegos
• Visit to the St. Luis and Tomas Acea cemeteries
• Visit with members of the Jewish community
• Tour to the Temple Bautista
• Visit to Cabildo de los Congos
• Visit Trinidad Cathedral
• Synagogue visit in Havana
• Discussion on Judaism in Cuba
• Visit to San Francisco de Assisi Church
• Visit to the Havana Cathedral
• Tour to El Templete
• Visit to the Patronato Synagogue
• Overview of the role of religion in Cuba today
• Tour to the Colon Cemetery
• Visit San Lazaro Church
• Visit to the Martin Luther King Center
• Discussion on religious syncretism in Cuba
• Visit to the Cuban Council of Churches
• Meet with a nun who runs a local daycare
• Visit to the Guanabacoa Jewish Cemetery
Included Sightseeing
• Cienfuegos city tour with visit to the botanical gardens
• Santa Clara city tour with visit to the Che Guevera Memorial
• Trinidad city tour
• Lunch at a Trinidad home turned into a restaurant
• Visit to Playa Giron region and the Bay of Pigs Museum
• Visit to the Museum of the Revolution
• Walking tour of Old Havana
• Hemingway tour
• Visit to a cigar factory
• Architecture tour of Havana
• Visit to La Terrazas, a planned eco-community
• Tour of the Guanabacoa District
• Farewell Dinner in an old fortress
Cultural Connections
• Visit to a local market in Cienfuegos
• Lecture about modern Cuba
• Visit to a primary school
• Visit a ceramics workshop
• Visit to a handicraft market in Havana
• Visit to La Casa de los Abuelos
• Lecture about the history of the Hotel Nacional
• Lecture about the architecture of Havana
• Visit to La Terrazas community center
• Visit to an artists’ workshop
DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY
Day 1 Depart Home / Miami, Florida• Depart home city for flight to Miami
• Arrive Miami. Upon arrival, a Vantage representative will be on hand to assist you with your transfer to the hotel
• Check in to the hotel
• Dinner on your own
• Evening at leisure
• Accommodations for one night at the First-Class Miami Hilton Hotel
Day 2 Miami / Cienfuegos, Cuba
• Buffet breakfast
• Welcome Briefing at the hotel
• Transfer to the airport for charter flight to Cienfuegos
• Arrive Cienfuegos
• Transfer to the hotel and check in
• Welcome Drink and Briefing at the hotel
• Welcome Dinner at the hotel
• Accommodations for four nights at the Hotel La Union
Day 3 Cienfuegos
• Buffet breakfast
• Cienfuegos city tour including Old Town, the Cathedral de la Purisima Conception, the Tomas Terry Theater, the Government House, and the Archbishop Chapel of New Orleans
• Visit a local market
• Lunch at a local restaurant
• Visit to the botanical garden
• Tour to La Reina and the Tomas Acea Cemetery
• Return to the hotel
• Lecture on modern Cuba
• Dinner on your own
• Evening at leisure
Day 4 Cienfuegos
• Buffet breakfast
• Full day tour to Santa Clara including a visit to a primary school and the Jewish community of Santa Clara
• Lunch at a local restaurant
• Visit to the Che Guevara Memorial
• Return to the hotel with visit to the Temple Bautista en route
• Dinner on your own and evening at leisure
Day 5 Cienfuegos
• Buffet breakfast
• Full day tour to Trinidad including walking tour with views of the Main Square, the Old Cathedral, Casa de la Musica, and the region’s traditional houses
• Weaving demonstration
• Free time in Trinidad
• Lunch at a local house-turned-restaurant
• Visit to the Cabildo de los Congos Relaes San Antonio, a center of Santeria worship
• Visit to a ceramics shop
• Return to the hotel
• Dinner on your own
• Evening at leisure
Day 6 Cienfuegos / Havana
• Buffet breakfast
• Visit to La Casa de los Abuelos, a home for retirees
• Visit to a local synagogue
• Discussion on Judaism in Cuba
• Transfer to Havana via the Playa Giron Region with a visit to the Bay of Pigs Museum
• Lunch included en route
• Arrive Havana
• Transfer to the hotel and check in
• Welcome Drink at the hotel
• Dinner at the hotel
• Accommodations for six nights at the First-Class Hotel Nacional
Day 7 Havana
• Buffet breakfast
• Havana city tour including the Revolution Museum, a walking tour of Old Havana to view the four main squares of the city and the Havana Cathedral
• Visit to San Francisco de Assisi church
• Lunch at a local restaurant
• Continue walking tour to see EI Templete, a Greek-Roman monument marking where Havana’s first Catholic Mass was celebrated
• Visit to the San Pedro Market
• Return to Havana
• Dinner at the hotel
Day 8 Havana
• Buffet breakfast
• Tour of La Vigia Farm, a residence of Ernest Hemingway
• Depart for Cojimar
• Lunch at a local restaurant in Cojimar
• Return to Havana
• Visit the Patronato Synagogue
• Overview of religion in today’s Cuba
• Visit to the El Partagaz cigar factory
• Return to the hotel
• Dinner on your own and evening at leisure
Day 9 Havana
• Buffet breakfast
• Lecture on the history of the Hotel Nacional
• Havana architecture tour including a view of the scale model of Havana and a driving tour of the Miramar district
• Lecture on the architecture of Cuba
• Lunch at a local restaurant
• Visit to the Colon Cemetery
• Visit San Lazaro Church, an important site for local Catholics where miracles are said to take place
• Return to the hotel
• Dinner on your own and evening at leisure
Day 10 Havana
• Buffet breakfast
• Visit Martin Luther King Center en route to La Terrazas
• Discussion on religious syncretism in Cuba
• Full-day tour to Las Terrazas, a planned eco-community, including visits to the community center, the village church, and an artists workshop
• Lunch at a local restaurant
• Free time in Las Terrazas
• Return to the hotel
• Dinner on your own
• Evening at leisure
Day 11 Havana
• Buffet breakfast
• Visit the Cuban Council of Churches
• Religious discussion with Sister Teresa Vaz, who runs a local daycare
• Tour to the Guanabacoa district to view the colonial churches, the Jewish Cemetery, the Holocaust Memorial, and the Afro-Cuban village of Regla
• Lecture on Afro-Cuban Santeria religion
• Lunch at a local restaurant
• Return to the hotel
• Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant with a sunset cocktail overlooking Old Havana
• Return to the hotel
Day 12 Havana / Miami, Florida
• Buffet breakfast
• Transfer to the airport for flight to Miami
• Connect to flight home
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
The following hotel list is preliminary and subject to change. Although we contract our hotels a year in advance, unforeseen situations do occasionally occur. While you’ll stay at the best hotels available, Cuban standards may not match those that many American travelers are accustomed to. Should it be necessary to change a hotel, one of equal quality and value will be substituted. You will receive verified hotel information with your final itinerary. Please note that hotel ratings are based on the Hotel and Travel Index (www.hotelandtravelindex.com), a leading travel industry authority on hotels throughout the world.
USA
Miami, FL– Miami Airport Hilton
5101 Blue Lagoon Drive Miami, USA , 33126
Tel: 1-305-262-1000
Fax: 1-305-267-0038
Website: http://www.hilton.com
The First-Class Hilton Miami Airport hotel offers exclusive accommodations on a private peninsula in the heart of a 100-acre fresh water lagoon 2 miles from the Miami Airport. Hotel facilities include a restaurant, cafe, bar, room service, business services, concierge services, laundry/dry cleaning, newsstand, gift shop, fitness center, outdoor pool, and saunas. Guest rooms have air conditioning, cable TV, phone, coffeemaker, minibar, and private bathroom with hair dryer.
Cuba
Cienfuegos, – Hotel La Union
Calle 31 esquina A-54 Cienfuegos, Cuba,
Tel: +53 43 551020
Website: http://www.hotellaunion-cuba.com/
The Hotel La Union boasts a classical motif, characterized by its pink and white exterior and tall mauve dome. The Union is located in the heart of downtown Cienfeugos, close to the beaches and the city’s main attractions. The hotel features a swimming pool, restaurant, and bar. Your room includes air conditioning, hot and cold water, satellite TV, room service, minibar, radio, phone, and private bathroom.
Cuba
Havana, – Hotel Nacional de Cuba
Calle 21 y O, Vedado, Plaza Havana, Cuba , 10400
Tel: (537) 836 3564 x67
Fax: (537) 836 5171
Website: http://www.hotelnacionaldecuba.com/en/home.asp
In Havana, you’ll stay at the legendary Hotel Nacional de Cuba, a splendid Art Deco gem in the central Vedado district. Since opening in 1930, this First-Class hotel has welcomed the likes of Winston Churchill, Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, the Duke of Windsor, and other notable guests and crowned heads. It is now designated a national historic site. Although recently renovated, the Hotel Nacional still boasts refined elegance and many classic touches. From here, you will be walking distance from many of Havana’s attractions. Your room includes air conditioning, a safe, cable TV, a minibar, phone, hair dryer, and radio. Two onsite restaurants serve Cuban and international cuisine, and six bars serve beverages from around the world. Guests can also stroll the botanical gardens, savor lunch from the barbecue, and enjoy the daily live music. On Sundays there is a show featuring music and dancers.
WHAT TO EXPECT ON YOUR TRIP
PACING : 3 destinations in 11 nights: 1 nights in Miami, 4 nights in Cienfuegos, 6 nights in Havana. The pace is quite leisurely, with 4 nights in Cienfuegos and 6 nights in Havana. There will be a series of day trips and activities from each location. The longest motorcoach ride is the drive from Cienfuegos to Havana, approximately 6 hours total, with stops for lunch and tours on the way. The longest daily rides will be 2 hours when touring out of Cienfuegos and Havana. Some roads are bumpy.
PHYSICA L ACTIVITY : While the pace is generally easy, the sightseeing involves a considerable amount of walking, often on uneven ground or cobbled streets, as well as stair climbing. This trip will be most enjoyable for active travelers in good physical condition. Please refer to Vantage’s wheelchair and handicapped traveler policy for this program, as there are physical limitations for guests on this tour.
RELIGIOUS / CULTURA L FOCUS: The focus of this tour is the religious life of the Cuban people and how it interacts with the island’s culture, history, and politics. As part of that focus, we will be visiting religious as well as cultural sites. This tour is sponsored by the Center of Caribbean Religion and Culture (CCRC), a cultural, educational, and non-denominational religious organization that is authorized by the U.S. government to offer religious themed travel to Cuba. Vantage has received special permitting for a limited number of its customers to join this special Memorable Journey to Cuba. You’ll travel as a member of the CCRC. Membership in the CCRC implies no religious affiliation; however, your participation in this Vantage tour as a member of the Center for Caribbean Religion and Culture will help in their efforts to support multi-denominational faith-based groups, churches, and other places of worship throughout the Caribbean. Cuba is considered a developing country and visitors can expect to encounter some poverty, although much less than in many countries. Cuban medical care is quite good. Why you’ll stay at the best hotels available, their standards may not match those that many American travelers are accustomed to.
YOUR FLIGHT TO CUBA : Your flight from Miami to Cuba will be via charter flight. Charter flight tickets will not be included in your final documents from Vantage Deluxe World Travel but will be provided by your Program Manager before boarding. You must be at the check-in counter four hours prior to scheduled boarding time. Your itinerary includes an overnight hotel in Miami prior to your charter flight, with Vantage transportation provided to your departure gate.
Note that luggage restrictions apply on your charter flight: First bag, 44 pounds and under, free of charge; second checked bag up to 44 pounds: $20.00; additional weight: $2 per pound. Rates subject to change.
DATES & PRICES
Cuban Spirit: Religion & Restoration
November 17-28, 2011
Havana • Cienfuegos
Early Booking Price: $4,399 with air from Miami
Single Supplement: $399
Deposit: $500 per person. Prices are in U.S. dollars, per person, double occupancy and include fuel surcharges.
Included & Low-Cost Airfare**
Miami Included
$300 - Orlando
$350 - Atlanta, Detroit, Tampa
$400 - Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Washington DC (IAD)
$450 - Houston, New York (JFK), Newark, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, St. Louis
$500 - Denver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis
$550 - Charlotte, Cleveland, Dallas, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle
** Air prices shown are per person, round-trip. Ask our Travel Consultants about add-on airfare from other cities. Please note that Vantage cannot guarantee the most direct routing to/from your gateway city. Note that your flight to Cuba is via charter flight.
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